Devotional
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November 02, 2009
Set:
It seems like lately as I watch different sporting events, I’m hearing a lot about having a short memory. I hear a lot about it while watching professional golf on TV. A golfer misses a short putt or has a drive out of bounds, and the announcers talk about having a short memory. About how that golfer has to forget about the bad shot and move on to the next. I hear it while watching football, pertaining to a quarterback who just threw an interception that was run back for a touchdown, or a running back who fumbled the ball while the offense was just putting together a great drive.
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October 29, 2009
Set:
Ready. . .Set. . .Go! They were off. Sixty runners were headed for the first hill.
Junior high cross country is an adventure. In this particular race, the 1.5-mile course ran through woods and hills, around playgrounds, and all over a park. Jay, a seventh-grade boy, was leading the field about halfway through the race. As they headed into the woods, Jay and the runner behind him approached a turn. Jay went on one side of the cone, and his competitor the other. The race continued, but Jay turned around.
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October 28, 2009
Set:
Recruiting at the collegiate level is not an exact science. As coaches travel around the country looking for athletes to fill their rosters, they look for players who are not only talented, but who are willing to dedicate and commit themselves to being the best they can possibly be. Likewise, as coaches, we are committing to players to help them become the best they can be. We are promising to equip them for success.
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October 27, 2009
Set:
Most sports have a playbook or a set of rules to follow for their program. This book tells how things will be done on and off the field for success in the system. A player, if he or she follows these guidelines, should have success in the system. I recently heard one coach refer to his playbook as his “bible.” Obviously, he highly values the book.
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October 27, 2009
Set:
One mission, one focus, one man carrying out a plan for one purpose: Gary Brasher is that man! On November 20-22, 2009, Gary will do what is seemingly unthinkable by completing back-to-back-to-back Iron-distance triathlons to raise funds for student-athletes to go to FCA Camps. During those three grueling days, he will cover 422.6 miles. So, why would he do this? Why would he put his body through such suffering and pain? Because he is a man on a mission.
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October 25, 2009
Set:
Everyone has a bad day once in awhile. Even the greatest athletes struggle from day to day. A common phrase in baseball is "pick-me-up." This is said when a particular player needs a boost in spirit. And, truth be told, we all need a "pick-me-up" occasionally.
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October 19, 2009
Set:
After a tough loss on Sunday, I really didn’t feel like being very positive. It took me awhile to get out of the locker room because I didn’t want to talk to anybody, let alone face people who would inevitably ask that question, “Did you win?” I shut myself up in my room and didn’t move for a few hours, feeling like not only was I a failure, but also the whole day was as well.
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October 15, 2009
Set:
Last week I got to go to Austin, Texas, to interview Colt McCoy for the December issue of Sharing the Victory magazine and our online video ministry. In my line of work, I get to sit down with Christian athletes and coaches on a regular basis and talk about their faith. It’s a dream job, of course, and one that I thank God for every day.
In all of these interviews, I meet a lot of different personality types. There are hard-nosed, intense guys who convey that in their passion for the Lord. Some are more reserved and shy, yet incredibly sincere. Others are just straight-forward, no-nonsense athletes who tell you like it is. It’s such a unique opportunity to see how God’s body has many different parts that function as a whole unit for His glory.
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October 15, 2009
Set:
In high school, a few of my football teammates shared a pre-game ritual. Before each game they would sit down in the locker room. The first guy would wrap his left wrist with a roll of tape and hand it to the second guy. The second guy would wrap both of his wrists (left first) then hand back the roll. The first guy would then finish his wrap on his right wrist, and hand back the roll again. He would then get up, move to the other side of his taping partner and toss the roll to a third guy. This guy would then put the roll in his locker until the following week . . .to do it all again. These guys swore by this ritual. Did it work? We went undefeated in the regular season, so the ritual must have worked, right? But in the playoffs, we went down in flames. What good was it then?
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October 13, 2009
Set:
You walk through the gate, eyes cast down onto the field, bag slung over your shoulder. You mentally walk through each of your fears, again and again. A nearby ball is cascading excitedly across the wet grass, throwing beads of water onto your bare shins. You make it to the bleachers, nervous as ever, and equip your shins and feet with cleats, socks and shin-guards... What's going to happen next? A grueling tryout. Everything you do will be watched; every mistake and every success. You just hope your mistakes aren't too many.
